UPDATE: Pride "Progress" Flags are Back Outside Multiple TVDSB Schools—Without Warning and With No Reason Given
UPDATE/BREAKING: These will be flown every year now, at every TVDSB school, May 17th-end of June
This is an update of our recent substack here.
One parent just wrote to CPAL, to let us know she wrote the following to the Student and Family Support Office‘s portal on May 21, 2026, and received the response that follows it, below. (Note she is speaking as an individual, only, and CPAL welcomes a diversity of views expressed in good faith.)
To Whom it Concerns:
I am a TVDSB parent/taxpayer/community member. It has come to my attention that multiple schools are flying, on external flagpoles, one of the current versions of the Pride “Progress” flag, with at least some parents and other community members not being informed of reasons why or for how long this will continue. (For instance, I have observed this at <name of school 1>, <name of school 2>, and <name of school 3>.)
This external flag flying, is despite TVDSB’s Procedure 2033a section 5 (”Display of Exterior Flags”), which states in part:
“5.0 Display of Exterior Flags
5.1 With the approval of the Director of Education or designate, a principal may fly another flag at their school in accordance with this Procedure, for a specified period
...
5.2.3 School principals are responsible for communicating to their school communities the reason for displaying a flag and the duration of the display.”
For instance, none of my <spouse>, <child(ren)> at <name of child(ren)’s school>, or myself, have received reasons why this external flag is being flown at <child(ren)’s school>, or been informed for how long this will last, despite it starting last week (cf. s. 5.2.3, TVDSB Procedure 2033a). Note I subscribe to school emails and newsletters, TVDSB emails, and <what may be school-specific> notifications, and have read the sign outside <name of child(ren)’s school>, so if any had provided reasons or duration as above, I would know. I object to TVDSB not following its own rules in this way. (Note that because it has not, in my view, I can logically have no confidence that reporting ‘up the chain of command’ rather than immediately to this office, would yield any result.)
I wish to also register my objection, on other grounds.
I object to the flying of any flag other than the Canadian and Ontario flags anytime during the school year, given our schools are supposed to treat all students equally, and foster unity/not foster dis-unity, for instance based on sexual orientation (with heterosexuals, for instance, not represented on the Pride “Progress” flag). It is in my view not even appropriate to fly a flag concerning any sexuality, at children’s schools (with students as young as 4 years old, for instance, at <name of school 2>).
Minister Calandra has stated that Catholic school boards have the right to not fly these flags, as these schools are denominational: Presumably, he is thus arguing that a religion’s values might conflict with some of the values of these flags (e.g., https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/pride-flag-catholic-ban-paul-calandra-9.7198003?__vfz=medium%3Dsharebar). Perhaps one such value, is that one can be born into the wrong body, which has been argued to be both a tenet represented by the Pride “Progress” flag, and as an *ideological* belief, rather than scientific fact (e.g., by a British MP: https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/progress-flag-is-a-symbol-of-ideology-not-gay-pride-0wkrhr3gq). The Minister’s stance in any case, in my view, argues for Pride “Progress” flags as being ideological (see also, for instance: https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/progress-flag-is-a-symbol-of-ideology-not-gay-pride-0wkrhr3gq, and https://nypost.com/2022/06/18/some-lgbtq-members-upset-with-progress-banner-replacing-rainbow/). Thus, I argue on the ground that public schools must be ideologically neutral, against the flying of these flags.
I also object on free speech grounds to any forced celebration (or any compelled speech or expression) of any event, movement, or ideology: Just as I stand against any forced participation in religious celebration (including of my own religion/creed) at a secular school, I stand against being forced to show respect to any flag flown immediately alongside our Canadian or Ontario flags, as this one is now at multiple TVDSB schools. (How can children and the community show reverence to the Canadian or Ontario flags, flown immediately adjacent to the Pride “Progress” flag, without also showing reverence to the latter, even if they would prefer not to?)
I trust you will communicate this objection to your superior and to the TVDSB Director of Education. I look forward to your response including whether or not you have, and when.
Sincerely;
Melanie MacEacheron***
Pride Flag…
Inbox
Monday, May 25, 9:58 AM ...
to me, <school Principal>, <school Vice Principal>, <Administrative Assistant>
Dear ...,
Thank you for your message and for sharing your perspective.
The flying of the Pride flag is a Thames Valley District School Board system direction. It is in place at every school across the system and will continue. The flag is raised to recognize the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT) and remains in place through Pride Month.
<a portion of the email regarding a separate issue>
Sincerely,
...
Paul
Paul Sydor (he/him/his)
Superintendent of Student Achievement
Thames Valley District School Board
1250 Dundas Street
London, Ontario N5W 5P2
<email address redacted>
519-452-2000 x <extension redacted>
Thames Valley is hiring! Visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn to find teaching, administration and support staff career opportunities. Experience more today at TVDSB! tvdsb.ca/jobs
Schools:
<school 1>, <school X>, <school Y>, and <school 3> Families of Schools
Portfolios:
Student Success
Guidance
Virtual Learning
Instructional Information Technology
...
Clearly, from now on, TVDSB, at every school-- elementary and secondary-- without notice or reasons why, plans to fly the Pride “Progress” Flag, for one and a half months each school year, up most recently from one month per school year (in turn, up from one day each school year-- and previously no day of the year). Of course, there are many days around the world that mark non-heterosexual, non-trans-identifying identities: If IDAHOBIT is marked with an exterior flag (for two weeks), what is to stop TVDSB from simply flying the Pride “Progress” flag from the earliest such day in the school year, then keeping it up to mark all the others in the school year, too?
If you care:
Write and call now the Family Support Office (at https://forms.tvdsb.ca/Student-and-Family-Support-Office, (519) 452-2000 Ext.20222)—to share your views; and
Vote for trustees who will represent your values, on October 26, 2026.
CPAL should not be the one breaking this news: a responsible school board, should be, and should explain why its own Procedure 2033a s. 5, was not followed.
--CPAL